Fort Oranje

Things to do · Oranjestad, Caribbean Netherlands

Perched on the cliff above Oranje Bay, this restored 17th-century fort is where, in November 1776, a foreign power first saluted the flag of the newly declared United States — a moment still commemorated by a plaque from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Visitors wander the cobbled parade ground, bastions and cannon for free, right in the heart of historic Oranjestad. The fort also houses government offices and the island's tourist bureau.